Skirt-hoops



out-side of the hoops.

UNTTED sTATns PATENT lormoni D. HOLMES, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKIRT-HOOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 20,561, dated June 15,1858; Ressued August 1'?, 1858, No. 585i.

10 part of this specification, in which- Figure l, is a side view of askirt with my improvements. Fig. 2, exhibits full size the manner ofapplying the connecting loops to connect the hoops together, as seen onthe Fig. 3, is a section corresponding with Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a faceview of one of the clasps which attach the connecting loops to thehoops, representing it in its first condition or before its application.Fig. 5, is a transverse section of the same exhibiting the manner inwhich it is bent before being applied. Fig. 6, exhibits my improvedmethod of forming the slides.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

This invention consists in connecting the hoops together by a series ofinterlacing loops in the manner substantially as hereinafter described.It also consists in the employment of a peculiar kind of clasp forattaching the connecting loops to the hoops. And it further consists informing eyes in the braiding at the extremities of the hoops to serve asslides.

To enable others to make and use my invention I will proceed to describeits construction and operation.

A, A, are the hoops supposed to be covered by braiding thread upon themas is generally done for skirts of the best quality.

made to connect the hoops together by drawing those of each hoop throughthose of the hoop below it, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The loops of theuppermost hoop also serve to attach the hoops to the waist band B, the

said loops being passed through eyelet holes Z), b, in the band andsecured by passing a tape or lace through them to prevent them beingwithdrawn from the eyelet holes.

The loops a, a, might be sewed to the braided covering of the hoops butas a more secure means of attachment I have invented the clasp E, shownin Figs. 4 and 5, and shown applied' in Figs. 2 and 4. The loops in Fig.l, are supposed to be attached by similar clasps, but in that figure,the clasps are concealed by the connect-ing loops a, a. The claspconsists of a piece of thin sheet brass or other metal of nearly squareform of a width about or nearly equal to three times that of the hoops,having/a piece cut from one side of a width equal to the tape of whichthe loops are to be formed and of a depth about equal to the width ofthe hoop, leaving two lips Z, Z, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. Toattach a loop a, by means of this clasp, the plate E, constructed asshown in Fig. 1, to form the clasp has the edge opposite to the lips Z,first bent up as shown at m, Fig. 5. A piece of tape of sufcient lengthis then taken and doubled to bring its ends together, and its endsapplied to one side of and lapped under the hoop as shown in red outlinein Fig. 3. The clasp in the condition shown in Fig. 5, is then taken andapplied to the lapping portion of the loop, with the lips Z, Z, one oneach side of the loop. The part m, is then pinched up close with thefingers or with pliers and then the lips Z, Z, folded over and pinchedup tightly in the same manner, which finishes the attachment and bringsthe clasp to the condition shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which condition itsecures the loop much better than can be done by sewing.

rIhe braided eyes at the extremities of the hoops are indicated by c, e,in all the iigures. These are formed of proper size for the braidedhoops to slide through them. They are produced at the commencement ofthe braid in a manner well understood by persons skilled in the art ofbraiding. The slides constituted by these eyes are much better thanmetal slides, as, though they permit the adjustment or variation of thesizes of the hoops, they are less likely to slide accidentally. Theloops c, e, cannot be conveniently formed at both extremities of a hoop,so I use at one end a slidinghoops by two-lipped clasps E, E, applied in1Q metal clasp f, of the usual or other constructhe manner substantiallyas described.

tion.- 3. The formation of eyes e, e, in the braid- Vhat I claim as niyinvention and desire ing at the extremities of the hoops to serve 5 tosecure by Letters Patent, isas slides substantially as herein specified.

l. The connection of the hoops by inter- DAVID HOLMES. lacing loops inthe manner substantially as Witnesses: described. W. TUsoH, 2. Theattachment of the loops to the W. HANFF.

[FIRST PRINTED 1911.]

